By Laurie Montoya

Simon Doonan, the creative director for Barneys New York, wants us to “embrace the concept of eccentric glamour.” The best selling author of Wacky Chicks was in Dallas this week to kick off the city’s spring Fashion at the Park runway shows and tout his latest book, Eccentric Glamour - Creating an Insanely More Fabulous You.

Doonan’s book is a series of irreverent comical essays that serve as a backlash against the slutting down of America, where cheap, tacky, porno-chic dressing passes for style. Simon says just, “say no to ho” and yes to expressing your style in a unique and tasteful way.

See Our Photo Gallery: Selections for the Glamourous and Adventuresome

Doonan amused the audience with a heaping spoonful of his wicked, witty sense of humor. Real glamour, he says, “is a combo of cheeky attitude and stylistic innovation . . . is always exhilarating and never pedestrian.”

Who’s got it? Say yes to Bill Clinton, Nicole Ritchie and Miss Piggy. Unfortunately, their respective partners – Hillary, Paris Hilton and “it’s not easy being green” Kermit do not.

Doonan doesn’t mince words, and in chapters titled “What the Hookers are Wearing” muses on “the meaning of snakeskin culottes.” Eccentric Glamour is as wildly entertaining as its author.

Wearing high heels, black slacks and a jacket worthy of a lounge lizard, Doonan fearlessly strutted the catwalk like a veteran.

As you would expect, the Barneys show was dominated by the edgy fashions of designers Jean Paul Gaultier, Proenza Schouler, Yohji Yamamoto and Dries van Noten. These designers - and others whose work was featured - clearly understand the concept of unconventional style.

Those who prefer their fashion more staid did not walk away disappointed, since there were classic looks from Balenciaga, Doo Ri, Prada and Vionnet.

But in the end, it was the eccentric theme that reigned supreme. In Doonan’s world, glamorous eccentrics fall into three categories: the Socialite, the Existentialist and the Gypsy. Browse through our photo gallery for a sampling of 2008’s spring and summer looks to help you cultivate your own brand of eccentricity.

Photo: Evans Caglage/Fashion at the Park at NorthPark Center, Spring 2008